Wayward Souls
by The Water Drinker
Summary: Yami, a medieval English king, is in an overwhelming power struggle to keep hold of his crown against the many adversaries of the century. But not all of what he faces is as clear-cut as holding his own in a battle with Dartz, the Duke of Normandy. Demons are at large, and they take no prisoners of war. Puzzleshipping AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A historical/fantasy fic. I do not own any of Yu-Gi-Oh._

* * *

Footsteps, no more audible than the gentle rustling of leaves, were made loud through their echoes in an empty hallway. Nothing save for a lone rug the color of rich wine that decorated the dingy floor was present. The footfalls filled the long stretch of space with their rhythmic beat of resounding thunder.

Through the hallway made of cracked and aging stone, a man, a king, moved forward. His pale, youthful skin illuminated by the afternoon light flowing in from the elegant archways riddled along the wall to his left with each one passed. His cloak fluttered restlessly against his back in protest to the gentle breeze that circulated freely, tassels that lined it stirred with its movement.

Violet eyes stared ahead, focused and unwavering. Shoulders back with head held high, there was a rigidity to his form; an air of importance that did not ask for respect, it commanded it.

Towards the end of the hallway, two guards stood tall and imposing like stone statues in front of a double-doored entrance. Helmets of metal adorned their heads; their bodies wrapped in chainmail. As he approached them, they gave their king a curt bow followed by a respectful, "Your Majesty." They then stepped aside to stand on either side of the door. Both extending an arm, they pushed open the doors for the man who waited patiently for them to do so. Once opened, he walked through the entrance into the spacious great hall exquisitely decorated in a lavish display of tapestries, banners, paintings and elaborate golds.

Atop the dais of the great hall sat a long, well-boarded table made from the wood of an oak. Several people were seated around it in silence with pensive countenances. Each sat straight and regal as they patiently waited for their king to make his appearance.

Yami walked forward undeterred by the quiet, serious mood. In one elegant motion, he sat in a chair positioned at the front of the table. With a grandiose sweep of his arm, he moved away the cloak that hid it in its depths.

"His Highness has arrived. Shall we begin?" The voice of a man dressed in white robes, his head bald, could be heard from the closest seat to the King's right. Shada was his name. Yami's eyes lingered on him a moment before he turned to look ahead. The rest of the occupants nodded soundlessly. A silent agreement to proceed.

A regal-looking woman turned her head to speak. She was dressed in an elegant, white robe of silk. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in beautifully tamed, straight strands. "My King, there are several matters we must discuss concerning the well-being of our kingdom's people." She had raised her right hand in a gesture to emphasize her statement. Yami's eyes traveled to Isis who sat up straighter under his gaze.

Another, younger looking, man cleared his throat to acquire the attention of the people around him. He was seated closest to the King on his left. "I believe it best to first begin with discussing the matter of the enemy forces gathering at East Sussex." Seto began, looking tense and agitated. His piercing, blue eyes shone with an untamable ferocity. "The swiftness in which the Normans are advancing onto our land gives cause for great alarm."

An older, imposing man with long, chestnut hair and serious, dark brown eyes shifted in his chair. He raised his hands to clasp them together to then lean his elbows on the table; his hands shielded the lower part of his visage. A thoughtful expression fell over his features. "Yes, of course. But we mustn't ignore the demon threat that is _always_ present." Mahad spoke from his position next to Shada.

Seto grunted in disdain. "There haven't been any demon sightings as of late. It would be in our best interest to deal with our immediate threat." The young man had an aggressive edge to his voice.

Yami stayed silent as he stared between his advisers, Seto and Mahad. He pondered on their words. While there had not been any sightings of demons recently, to completely dismiss them would be foolish and arrogant on their part.

"And I do not disagree with you. I am merely addressing an issue that should always remain a constant concern." Mahad stood his ground in the face of the steely-eyed youth.

Isis turned her attention from the two men to address her King. "Your Highness, I would like to bring it to your attention that the people are going hungry." Yami's eyes fell on her as she spoke. "Merchants and traders are too fearful to do business with our kingdom with the ever-growing threat of Dartz' forces." The King's eyes narrowed as he contemplated this piece of information. That was a serious problem. If he did not act soon, he may have to deal with revolts on top of their current threat.

"Which is why I insist that we discuss our battle preparations." Seto stressed, his hands moved about in a grand display of urgency. "The neighboring kingdoms will declare us incompetent if we allow these barbarians to darken our doorstep any longer."

Mahad turned from his fellow adviser to address his King directly. "Your Majesty, if I may, I suggest we request the aid of the Danes." Yami looked to Mahad in deep thought. To contact aid for the inevitable war on their hands would take time. Time they may not have.

"Pah. If incompetence is a concern of ours, then requesting the aid of those heathens would surely incite such an opinion of us." Shada spoke up from his previous silence. Yami found being considered incompetent to be far less important than acting. As long as they were the victor in the upcoming battle, no one would dare question their capability. There was no weakness in seeking help when necessary.

"Don't be arrogant, Shada. Our enemy is strong, and only growing stronger. If demons were to make an appearance-"

Mahad did not get to finish his sentence before being interrupted by Seto. "There you go again with talk of demons. We need to prioritize-"

The dark-haired man matched Seto's ferocity with a determined edge of his own. "Need I remind you, the last demon attack killed hundreds of civilians in a _day_. To dismiss them entirely would be a fool's mistake."

Yami turned a calculating stare on Mahad. If a demon were to appear on the battlefield, it may well wreak havoc on both sides. Dartz' forces were undeniably strong, but against the unstoppable force of the merciless wrath of a demon that did not owe fealty to any side, would be devastating. To Yami's side as well.

Demons had plagued the land for centuries. Death in human form. Their only distinction from humans being their devil-like features – a serpent's tail, or horns. Though, some did not even possess those qualities which made it difficult to distinguish between human and demon, until given a deadly touch. Just a single touch from a demon could kill a human in the most agonizing way. As if their very soul was ripped from their bodies. Yami decided he would prefer not to find out just how agonizing such a touch could be.

"When was the last demon attack?" Yami found himself asking, interrupting his two advisers' heated glaring contest.

"A little more than a fortnight ago, your Highness." Isis spoke up to answer the question he posed. "It was a more hostile demon. One the townsfolk have been calling 'a demon of rage.' A demon with a boy's face. It killed a hundred or so civilians before it moved on."

Yami took a moment to ponder on her words. Demon behavior was erratic by nature. Impossible to track. They would have to tread very carefully while they developed their strategies to combat the Norman forces.

"Which is why I stress, we need to take heed of the threat they pose." Mahad reaffirmed. Seto did not seem pleased. His arms crossed over his chest in indignant dissatisfaction.

"And what would you have us do? Sit here and do nothing?"

Mahad sent the younger man an irritated glare. "You know that is not what I am suggesting."

Before the two could continue their discussion, Yami spoke. "Enough. We shall be wary of a potential attack, but not be ruled by it. We will take care not to tarry in one place for too long." Mahad and Seto lowered their gazes out of respect for their king and the compromise he offered. "Are there any other concerns?"

Mahad raised his stare up to look at the king. "No, your Highness." Yami gave a curt nod.

"Very well. What of our battle strategy to combat this enemy we face?"

Seto looked eager to discuss the topic as he opened his mouth to speak. "I have heard word that the last of Dartz' soldiers are arriving in Sussex shortly. I imagine it will only take a few more weeks. The fool sent a message. He seems to think he has a right to the throne. The arrogant swine."

Yami raised a hand to stroke at his chin in contemplation. It was no secret that the Duke of Normandy, Dartz, wanted the throne that rightfully belonged to Yami himself. Dartz claimed Solomon, the late English king, had given him authority to seize it - lies. He would never allow a Norman to take his crown.

"Then we go to Sussex. Let us fight, head on!" Shada spoke with fervor. Mahad raised his hand to calm his fellow adviser that sat beside him.

"We should not be hasty. Perhaps we should consider a more subtle tactic."

Seto smirked from his position across the table at Mahad. "For once, we agree on something. The enemy outnumbers us. To charge in would be foolish and reckless."

Shada glared at the haughty youth across from him. "This coming from the one ready to do battle? What do you propose then?"

The smirk that adorned Seto's face only increased in its smugness. "I'm glad you asked." He then turned to face the young king. "I propose we flank them. We can set up a defensive position on Caldbec Hill before advancing on the Norman forces. We'll have the element of surprise."

Yami gave a single nod in agreement of this strategy. "Very well." He then snapped his fingers. A servant was quick to rush to his side. "Have a message sent to the Earl of Sussex. Have him prepare the soldiers in his jurisdiction for the upcoming battle." The young servant girl with long, brown hair and large, brown eyes nodded eagerly. She took a glance upward to look across the table to catch the eyes of Mahad. He stared back, his eyes serious as he gave her a nod. She smiled brightly before turning on her heel to quickly leave the room.

"When shall we leave?" Asked Isis. Yami swept his gaze across the faces that held expectancy in their expressions for his response.

"In a fortnight."

* * *

Two weeks went by quickly for Yami and his forces. It was not long before they had made it to Caldbec hill overlooking Sussex. Soldiers lined up as far as the eye could see. A good seven thousand foot-soldiers. Yami stood at the precipice of the hill at the front of his army. As he stared out at the scene before him, he felt cold.

Something was stirring. Something profoundly wicked. A foul air blew across the grassy plain up the hill to tousle the hair of the young king who glared out at the horizon with eyes as keen as a hawk's on a hunt. The breeze blew with it an omen of malicious intent. He could feel it. Could feel it as it raised the skin on his bare, pale arms into bumps that marred him all the way up his elegant neck with its ghostly, chilly embrace. Dark, foreboding clouds loomed ominously in the distance across the wide expanse of land. They taunted and beckoned with their sinister, far-off boom of thunder. For a moment, he allowed a small pang of fear to seize his heart and squeeze it in the threatening feeling's deathly grasp. He squashed it as soon as it had risen. He was a king. He needed to act as such. The time had come, and he would not allow the enemy to advance any farther onto his land.

This needed to be done; regardless of the warning written in the sky, or the sinister whispers in the wind. He would not fail his kingdom.

He looked to his left to see the faces of his advisers. His closest. Their features set in steely anticipation as they met his gaze. Yami nodded to them with determination that lit up his violet eyes.

His eyes then traveled to meet the gaze of the Earl. An older man with graying hair. Aknadin's stare was intense. He gave Yami a slight nod.

"We are ready, your Majesty. The plan will work." Seto spoke as the wind wildly ruffled his hair as if challenging his words.

Aknadin spoke as he raised a hand to place on Seto's shoulder. "Of course it will. If it is my son's strategy, it will not fail." Seto did not respond to his father's praise. His expression was unreadable.

"We _are_ ready." Isis' words were calm, yet powerful, as she stood straight and graceful against the wind.

"Let us all... come back safely." Shada spoke up as his stare was trained on the darkening sky.

Mahad's voice carried over a clap of thunder as he spoke. "We will be fine. The advantage is ours." He then turned to meet his king's gaze.

"Right." Yami affirmed. He then turned around to stare out at his soldiers. Foot-soldiers with battle axes, spears and shields in their hands, their faces framed by the metal of their helmets, looked up to marvel at their king. They stood before him with fire in their eyes – an unspoken statement of eagerness and loyalty to the man who led them. "It is time." His voice came out strong and commanding.

The soldiers raised their weapons and let out a shout. Yami lifted the sword he held in his right hand high above his head. "Let us fight bravely this day. Let your blades be quick, your aim steady. Let the _fear_ that may hold your hearts be the thing to flee when faced with your might!" They let out a mighty roar at the strongly spoken words. "This is _our_ kingdom. Let the fools who dare face us _know it_." The soldiers bellowed loud enough to reach the very heavens.

Yami lowered his sword with a confident smile. He then turned around to stare out at the dreary scene before him once more. A strike of lightning tore at the sky in its threatening display of warning. His smile fell into a thin line. He did not understand why he could not shake this feeling of dread, though he dared not be ruled by it.

"We shall assume the phalanx formation! Everyone! Take your positions! The most able come forward. We shall make our descent once the command is given." Yami heard Seto shout out over the thunder. The sound of armor and chainmail being shuffled about could be heard as spears were pointed outward in between shields to form a deadly, spiked wall.

Yami allowed himself a deep breath. A moment of calm as he shut his eyes. He reopened them slowly. "Let's go." He said as he walked forward, and down the sloping hill.

"Forward!" Seto bellowed. The soldiers let out another shout in anticipation as they marched forward while maintaining their shield wall.

And forward they went. They marched across the grassy plain with scattered trees; armored footsteps resounded in a steady rhythm as it started to rain. They moved forward, but the farther they went, Yami noticed something.

"It's quiet."

Seto stepped up forward to walk at the king's side. "Yes, we're getting closer to the coast. Yet it seems... vacant." Mahad walked up to get closer to them.

"Our sources stated they landed here."

"Perhaps they were wrong." Isis spoke up from her position next to Mahad. Seto looked over at his father who silently followed behind them.

"Impossible." The young adviser concluded.

Yami walked slowly forward. After a moment, he raised his hand in a gesture to halt his forces. The soldiers in the front saw the sign and came to a stop behind the king.

"What is it, your Majesty?" Seto asked quietly. Yami did not respond as his eyes swept over the area. A faint sound could be heard. Of a string pulled taut. Something was very wrong.

"Something's wrong." Yami whispered. Before his soldiers could react, a hail of arrows descended upon them from their left and right. Some soldiers being hit fell to the ground with a strangled cry. Yami spun around to see cavalry flanking them from both sides. " _Hold your position!_ " He shouted out as the enemy horses rushed at them. Spears jabbed into flesh as the pitiful whines of horses in agony and shouts of men erupted.

It was Dartz' forces.

 _But how?_ Yami thought as he slashed at a horse of a knight that attempted to charge at him. The creature jumped up on its hind legs, knocking off the soldier on its back. Yami jumped forward and thrust his sword into the man's chest.

 _That's impossible. There's no way they could have known we were here._

Yami looked over to Seto, Mahad, Isis and Shada. They were fighting back the foot-soldiers that had run in behind the cavalry. They had been the only ones to know of the plans before action was taken.

A foot-soldier ran towards him with a loud cry. He struck him down with one powerful sweep of his sword. Yami looked towards his soldiers. They were trying their hardest to maintain the phalanx formation. The cavalry were coming at them in waves to break their line. Distraught and confused, a few fell victim to the swords of their enemies.

"No..." He whispered. This was not the way this was supposed to go. He looked around frantically at the scene unfolding before him. At this rate, his army would be overwhelmed completely. His eyes then landed on an imposing man that rode atop a horse amid the chaos. A man whose eyes shone with a maniacal gleam as they were lit up from a lightning strike. "Dartz." Yami muttered. It was then that fear yet again took hold of him. Those did not look like the eyes of a man who had been surprised. Quite the opposite. It seemed as though Dartz knew all along they would be here. That he knew exactly where his forces would be. Dartz raised a bow at his side, taking aim as he pulled the string taut. A soldier then ran at Yami, interrupting his focus. He cut him down, and tried to look back over to his adversary.

As he did this, the only thing he saw was an arrow shooting past the carnage.

Yami let out a strangled gasp as it struck him in the eye. A devastating pain shot through him as he fell backwards onto the ground. It was then that everything seemed to move slowly around him. He could hear the surprised shouts of Mahad, Isis, Shada and Seto, but they were muffled, as if listening to them under water.

A foot-soldier ran up to him to stab him in the chest before being impaled by a spear. Yami let out a shocked cry. A terrible pain erupted through his system from the source as if fire ran through his veins. It throbbed and ached and made his body tremble violently. He grabbed the sword and pulled it out with a blood-curdling cry, but it no longer mattered. The damage had been done.

He panted and wheezed as bodies ran around him in a chaotic mess of limbs and weapons.

Dirt clung desperately to him, made eager by the rain to sully the skin of the fallen in its wet, muddy embrace.

Corpses lay lifeless around him. Some of them his soldiers, some of them enemies. Their expressions blank, mouths agape; forever locked in a timeless stare of deathly agony. The terror-filled whines of horses and battle cries of men deafened him. He could hear the sharp sound of metal against metal.

Men scrambled about like frightened children at the sight of their fallen King, leaving chaos in their wake.

Try as he might to ignore the scene around him, Yami focused his stare skyward. The smell of blood mingled with the earthy scent of vegetation. His eye throbbed in unceasing pain.

His strength drained, he made an attempt to move his arm from the ground to clutch desperately at his open wound. A sharp pain rushed through him like a lightning strike. A strangled gasp had him coughing up red. He opened his mouth, a dying plea on his lips quelled by a bubble of blood that forced itself out.

His thoughts saying what his mouth could not.

 _What happened?_

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Much thanks to LilRachity for taking the time to look over this chapter for me. I hope you guys liked it!_


	2. Chapter 2

**_A bit of a warning. This chapter contains quite a bit of yaoi. Just thought I'd mention it. A huge thank you to LilRachity for looking over this chapter for me as well!_**

* * *

The air felt heavy. Laden with the emotions of fear and anguish. The wind lashed out with rage as it washed over a lone form that stood on the precipice of a hill. A smile lingered on his delicate features as he took a deep breath in. A smile that looked child-like, yet had an underlying dark edge, rested on his face. He chuckled, a sinister, little laugh. Violet eyes hazed over darkly.

"My, my, my. I smell deceit. Pride." Yugi hummed as the wind surged around him. "Betrayal." It was intoxicating for the demon who gazed over the scene before him. Men dispersed in panic below. He allowed the raging, chaotic emotions to surround him once more.

"Hm? What is this?" Yugi stepped forward. His mostly naked form did not feel the cold of the rain that fell around him. In fact, if fell right through him. He looked up at the offending sky that mourned for the souls that died this day. A devil's tail flicked about behind him, cat-like. A strip of cloth was the only thing that covered any shame he might have. Though those days of feeling shame had long since passed.

Another deep breath in, and he looked forward once more. "Someone yet lives. Oh, how they are terrified." He chuckled again, this one more conniving. "Such a powerful soul."

Yugi walked forward towards the fear that cried out. The closer he got, the stronger it became. Unrelenting and intoxicating. A symphony of emotion that hit his senses wave after wave that were as loud as any orchestra.

They lead him to a clearing. Yugi swept his eyes across the field of scattered corpses. Quite the massacre lay before him. He searched for the soul whose cry rang louder than the thunder claps. A slight movement caught his eye – a man writhed on the ground with an arrow protruding from his right eye.

"Ouch." Yugi muttered, but his smile did not wane. He moved forward. His footsteps were soundless as he approached the human who wheezed and spluttered. Right above him he hovered as he took in the man's state. He just barely clung to the life he once had. The human at first did not see him. Once his good eye caught sight of the demon before him, he gasped in shock. The action caused blood to rise up his throat and out of his mouth. Yugi looked farther down his body. There was a fatal wound to his lung. A bloodied sword lay next to him. Yugi lowered himself gracefully slow to examine the man further.

Amusing as it was, the dying human tried to move away from him. "I would not do that, if I were you." Yugi said to him. The movement was quick to still. "You will end up losing what little blood you still have." The man began to cough up blood as he tried to speak.

"...de...mon." Yugi chuckled.

"Oh? How perceptive of you." The demon started softly. "What gave it away? The tail?" A sarcastic question as he looked behind himself at the appendage. "Always does have a hard time behaving." He looked back over to the terrified soul who struggled to breathe. Yugi eyed him a moment. The clothes the human wore suggested royalty. Though, he looked young. With the way the army had dispersed so suddenly, it lead Yugi to believe this human to possibly be a king.

Careful not to touch him, Yugi looked around before he spotted a sword of a very intricate design. He reached over the body before him and picked it up. Its hilt was gold. On it, a royal insignia.

"Ah, a king. No wonder your soul is so strong." He examined the blade; he ran his hand along its bloodied surface. The man looked as if he wanted to protest the demon touching his sword, but could do little more than writhe pitifully on the ground.

Yugi let out a hum as he pondered on the man before him. He could use him. A soul this powerful could belong to him. Make him feel more alive. The more he thought on it, the more it pleased him.

"I have a proposition for you." Yugi began as his eyes looked away from the blade in his hands to stare at the man's face. "A pact. I will give you your life back." The human tried to look at the demon, desperation and terror lingered within him. "But it will come at a price." The king coughed as he tried to ask a question.

"...what?"

Yugi smiled wickedly. "Your soul will be mine. The next time you die, I will take it." The man tried to turn away from the demon. Fear and anguish flooded over his being.

"I... no... You will... kill me..." A horrible coughing fit had his body shaking violently sending blood spilling over his face. Yugi let out a dark chuckle as his eyes held a sinister gleam.

"Poor little king. You are already dead." The demon then made a move to stand. His voice feigned nonchalance as he said, "Well all right then. I will take my offer over to another one of these corpses." Desperation then began to replace the fear as the king called out.

"Wait... please." Yugi smiled devilishly. He lowered himself back down to hover over the man's face. He could feel his anxiety. The fear of death was strong.

"What?" Yugi asked lightly, taunting the poor soul that shivered in the rain that brought with it the cold.

"Okay..." The king spoke. He then let out another spasm of coughs. The light had begun to slowly fade from his eyes as he whispered weakly, "Help me... please."

Yugi got up on his hands and knees to crawl over top of the king. He took ample care not to touch the human at first. He moved his face close to the one underneath him to whisper softly. "As you wish." He then began to mumble something. A dark chant. His eyes faded to black. He then lifted one hand and moved it to hover over the fallen king's heart. As his chant finished, his eyes looked soulless, empty. A creepy smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "This may hurt." It was the only warning he gave as he forcefully slammed his hand down onto the man's chest. It felt as though it went right through the material of the king's clothes - passed his skin and bones down to his very soul. The king sucked in a sharp breath that was horribly strained as his eye flew open wide. His body arched up off the ground at the sensation as he let out a pained cry.

" _ **Stop**_!" The man cried out in agony, but Yugi only chuckled.

"Hush now. We are nowhere near done." He then placed his left hand over the eye of the king that had an arrow lodged inside it. "Brace yourself." He said casually before he moved the hand that was over the king's heart to grab hold of the arrow. With one hard pull, he ripped it out. The man went to scream, but it became trapped beneath a gurgle of blood. A tear streamed down from his one good eye that rolled back at the unbearable pain. Yugi just breathed in deeply. He loved the emotions that were radiating off this young king. "Look at the bright side. At least the pain lets you know you're still alive." His voice came out breathless.

The king's body shook, his muscles spasmed violently. Yugi tossed the arrow off to the side. He looked down to the man now completely at his mercy. "Relax, now comes the moment you have been waiting for." He said as he placed his hand on the king's thigh. Slowly, he moved up the fabric of his tunic to expose the pale skin hidden beneath. "But there is something you should know about me, little king."

Yugi then moved down to place a chaste kiss upon the wounded eye. The king let out a gasp. The pain was replaced with a strong tingling sensation. "I am a demon of desire." Yugi said as he then moved down to trail soft kisses down the dirtied skin of the clenched jaw. Down the neck drenched with sweat that mingled with droplets of rain that ran down in rivulets. "Of lust, passion." He whispered against the soft skin that left a heated trail in his wake. The king could feel it. His breath became ragged as he desperately tried to breathe. "To make a pact with me, well, let's just say I will not be healing you the conventional way." He had made his way to be very close to the fatal wound on the man's chest.

"W-wait." The king managed to whimper between gasps. Yugi let out a demented giggle.

"Too late." Yugi murmured as his lips came to the wounded skin. A kiss of fire had set the skin ablaze with another foreign tingling sensation. The young king sucked in a sharp breath. It made his toes curl, his fists clench tightly at the earth beneath him. His back arched off the ground again as he felt the feeling spread throughout his body like the venom of a snake. His head forced back, chin tilted upward. Blood surged – it rushed to the surface to make his skin feel terribly hot. He felt as if he was being torn apart, yet sewn back together. The king let out a strangled scream.

"I can't... _**I can't**_." The human cried out.

Yugi's eyes bled with color as they turned back into their previous violet. They glowed in the face of the darkened sky. " _Shh._ " He whispered as he moved his hands to push up the cloth that covered the king's form. Placing his hands on the underside of the man's thighs, he pushed them up to bend at the knee. He watched as the man's back then fell back against the dirt, chest heaving.

When Yugi then crawled in between the legs to then move his face to hover over the other's, the human attempted to shake his head. "No, wait." His voice came out airless as he panted harshly. He let out a groan as another wave of sensation surged through him from the wound on his chest like a pulse, as if the blood had been cut off from his entire body to then be rushing back through him. Yugi quirked an eyebrow at the injured king.

"You asked for this." He said as he then lowered his head to trace his lips against the skin of the human's neck. The king threw his head to the side in an attempt to move away.

"I... did not know..." Yugi merely followed him. The king scrunched his eyes shut at the feeling of heat those lips induced.

Yugi moved his head away to laugh. "Aw, poor little king. The heart I no longer have weeps for you. Truly." He quipped. He watched in slight amusement as the king tried to close his legs. It did little good. His weakened, injured body convulsed and shuddered. The demon then moved close to the man's ear to whisper. "There's no turning back. Not now." Yugi giggled when his words produced another shudder from the one underneath him. "I could sense your fear from far, far away. There is nothing you could hope to hide from me. I can see your soul for what it is. Frightened. I knew you would accept my offer from the moment I saw you writhing on the ground." He placed a gentle kiss upon the king's ear. Then suddenly, his eyes dilated into slits. His voice came out feral and high-pitched with a dual, dark undertone. A discordant dissonance that sounded otherworldly and inhuman. " _ **You are mine.**_ " The demon then forced himself inside with little mercy.

The king's eyes flew open wide at the sudden intrusion. He gasped out while he raised his arm to try to take hold of the demon on top of him. He was left empty handed as his arm went right through the dark being like he was nothing more than a wisp of smoke in the wind. The man looked shocked as he knew what he felt not too far below.

"What?"

Yugi grinned maniacally as he lifted his head to then move it close to the human's face. The king knew true fear when he looked into those crazed eyes. "Didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" The demon's eyes then fell half-closed. A seductive, sultry expression fell over his features. "Don't fight it. I will make you feel more alive than you ever have before." He spoke as he ran clawed fingers underneath the robes up the king's side to graze the skin with a ghostly touch. The touch, along with another pulse from his chest had the man letting out a whimper. His body tingled almost unbearably with the added sensation of the demon pushing deeper. It forced a cry out from him. Whether in agony or pleasure, it was hard to distinguish.

When the demon brushed up against the ball of nerve endings inside him, the king sucked in air sharply. His mouth agape, he could not stop himself from arching up into the entity on top of him. His legs moved up to give better access almost involuntarily. He groaned out loudly and uneven followed by harsh pants. The demon did not give him a moment's rest when he gave another thrust. It had the king's eyes nearly rolling back. A pitiful whine escaped his lips.

" _Too..._ _ **much**_. _**Too much**_!" He could feel every muscle in his body clenching.

Yugi paid him no mind. He breathed in deeply. His eyes hazed over with lust. He could feel the emotion of pleasure that rolled off the mortal underneath him. It set his senses so high he felt like he was drowning in them. If this was what it was like to drown, Yugi knew he would never want to breathe again. A grin split his face as he thrust into the king once more. A stronger wave of pleasure hit his senses that made him let out an inhuman growl of satisfaction alongside the whimper of the king.

The pleasure began to build up inside the man who struggled to move away, yet forced the demon deeper. A collision of sensations resonated throughout his body as if he was an instrument and his soul the strings. It plucked out the perfect harmony of feeling, but it was too much for him to handle. With one more movement, he could not take it any longer. A climactic surge of built up pressure he could not control forced itself through him, and he moaned out so loudly his voice became hoarse.

Yugi could feel himself convulse under the weight of emotion that hit him hard enough to make his eyes roll completely back. He leaned up off the mortal to sit up straight. He could do little more than gape as his body twitched.

As the high slowly faded, the only thing he could manage to say was, "Beautiful." The whites of his eyes slowly came back to violet. He blinked, long and slow. The human below him lay there limply, completely spent. As Yugi watched him, the young king could barely keep his eyes open. Yugi smiled, feeling content. A sense of peace washed over him.

"I feel like I could live off this one moment, this feeling for another few hundred _years_ without needing it again." Yugi mumbled to himself. He then moved back down to come within an inch or so of the mortal's face. He chuckled when the king's eyes could not focus on him at all. "You have your life back, little king. Do take better care of it." As he said this, the king's eyes slowly fell shut.

* * *

Yami awoke with a start. He gasped sharply as he sat up quick enough to make his head spin. He panted harshly while he looked around at the scene that surrounded him frantically.

 _Where?_

It was the only thought that ran through his mind as everything just seemed to spin before his eyes. He felt horribly nauseous. He lifted a hand to rest against his head in an attempt to steady himself. When it did not help, he closed his eyes and simply allowed himself a moment to collect his thoughts.

 _What happened?_

He felt so weak. Drained. He opened his eyes slowly to take another look around. Corpses lay lifeless around him. It was then he noticed his vision was considerably more blurry in his right eye. Yami raised a hand to rub at it gently. When he removed his hand, he noticed dried specs of blood on his skin. He then remembered being stabbed.

Yami placed his hand over his chest, but there was no pain. Just a bloodied, torn piece of fabric was left as a reminder. Then he remembered eyes, black-to-violet eyes. Could it have been a dream? Yami looked over to his left to see a bloodied arrow lying on the ground a little ways away from him.

 _No..._

 _If it was not a dream, then where was..._

Yami did not allow himself to finish that line of thinking. He looked back out at the massacre that surrounded him. He took a moment to think about what he had been doing to be lying here. His eyes then widened in realization.

"My kingdom." He mumbled as he hurriedly attempted to get to his feet. On shaky legs he stood, but with how fast he tried to stand, he became horribly dizzy. He groaned as he tried to take a step forward, but his legs gave out under him.

Yami fell to the ground in a heap of dirtied limbs and torn clothes. He could not stop himself as he wheezed into the dirt. His eyes scrunched up at the nausea that threatened to relieve him of the contents of his stomach. He allowed himself a moment to even his breathing.

 _Ah... I am all right._

Yami then rolled over onto his stomach. He placed his hands flat against the earth and pushed himself up. This time slowly. He brought his knees up to help support his weight. After a few more deep breaths, the young king pushed himself off the ground. Through sheer willpower alone he managed to keep himself standing. Yami looked out into the distance where he knew his kingdom to be. He looked up to the sky that was no longer raining, its gray clouds passed on.

The king then focused his determined gaze ahead, and began to move forward. Back to where he belonged.

* * *

Dartz smiled pleasantly atop the English throne that once belonged to the fool that was Yami. Soon, it would all belong to him. Officially. It had all gone so smoothly. The look of shock and fear on the young king's face had been delightful. The last to remain of the English forces scattered like cattle being chased by wolves.

The Duke of Normandy raised a hand that he ran through his long hair. A chuckle erupted from his lips. Soon, very soon. He looked over at the four advisers who once aided the fallen king. They stood beside him with a look of defeat.

The doors to the great hall were then shoved open. The Earl of Sussex stormed through. He looked aggressive and agitated as he stalked up to the Duke.

"How _dare_ you!" The Earl raged. Dartz merely raised an eyebrow at the display in front of him. Aknadin raised his hand to point accusingly at the arrogant man. "You cannot just take the throne." Dartz let out a chuckle.

"Can I not?" Aknadin growled in contempt.

"It does not belong to you. Myself or my son-" Dartz cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

"Could not even command the English forces as soon as your king lay dead in the mud." Dartz' smile turned wicked as he spoke. "Do you see any of these soldiers rallying behind you? You would do well to lay down your temper against me, Earl of Sussex." Aknadin seethed, but glanced around the room at the English soldiers who dared not rise up against the imposing, Dartz the Conqueror.

"We have lost, father." Seto spoke up, sounding forlorn. Aknadin turned to him with his fists clenched tightly.

"We cannot just give up!"

"And what would you have us do? We have already lost the war." Mahad said through clenched teeth.

Aknadin's rage faltered as he took a step back. "We... we can still fight."

"With what? With whom to lead us?" Isis spoke up calmly. Her posture tall and elegant.

Aknadin's form slumped. "With..."

Just as the Earl had begun to speak, the doors were forced open yet again. The faces in the room turned in confusion to stare at the entrance where light poured in to permeate the wide area. A lone form stumbled through, shielded by the brightness. He almost fell, but caught himself when he rested his hand along the wall. His head hung low as he breathed deeply. Everyone in the room stared in bated silence as realization began to dawn on them of just who that person was.

Slowly, Yami raised his head with half-lidded, exhaustion-laden eyes and a confident smirk.

"How about... with _**me**_?"

All the occupants in the room looked shocked beyond mere words. Mouths agape, eyes wide. Seto took an uneasy step forward.

"You-your Majesty?"

Dartz in particular looked positively spooked. He stood up abruptly from the throne from atop the dais - a futile attempt to look in control. "That's... that is _impossible_." A cold sweat broke out over his temple. "You cannot be here." Yami stared up at his enemy with a fiery gaze. The Duke pointed at the weary king. "I saw you _**die**_. With my own eyes. I _**shot**_ you." He let out a startled gasp when Yami began a dark chuckle. Dartz retracted his hand as if he had been bitten.

"It seems you do not hit as hard as you think." Yami spoke as he pushed himself off the stone wall before he took a step forward. Everyone in the room let out a surprised gasp at the action. Dartz nearly fell back onto the throne.

Yami took another step forward, and nearly fell. Seto was the first one to shake himself out of the shock, and rushed over to his king. He caught him just before he could land on the floor.

"Your Majesty!" He spoke as he wrapped Yami's arm around his shoulders, his other arm around the king's waist.

Yami panted harshly before he lifted his head to glare with such rage, such contempt that it really did have the Duke falling back. Dartz felt as if he was staring death right in the face through those eyes.

"Have this vermin _dragged_ out of _my kingdom_ by the hair on top of his _**vacuous head**_."

The words set Seto's eyes ablaze with renewed vigor. He looked towards the guards. "You heard your king." He then pointed towards Dartz. " _ **Seize him**_!" The guards were quick to heed the command as they then turned towards Dartz. The Duke looked like a frightened, cornered animal. He then stood up from the throne and ran out of the opened doors. The guards were fast on his heels.

Yami then slumped against the hold on him. The walk to his castle had been exhausting. Seto slowly let him down on the floor. The other three members of the king's council rushed over to the two. Mahad lowered himself to the ground in front of his king.

"Your Majesty! Are you all right? It is a blessing to see you alive." The brown-haired adviser spoke with joy. He lifted his hands to place on the young king's shoulders. Yami tried to lift his head to look at Mahad, but found he could not. His vision becoming doubled.

With practiced grace, Isis slowly lowered herself to her king's right. "Yes. But I must ask, how do you walk among us now?" Her gaze traced over the disheveled mess of blood and grime that made up his appearance.

"I..." Yami found it to be increasingly more difficult to even speak.

"He needs rest." Shada spoke up from where he stood above them, breaking his previous silence of quiet observing.

Isis nodded. "Of course. Let us take him to his chambers." She then beckoned for a servant to come over to her. The servant girl with long, brown hair walked hesitantly towards them. She looked down at the king in confused wonder. "Have his wounds addressed, his clothes changed. See to it that all of his needs are taken care of." Isis told her. The servant girl nodded.

The Earl walked slowly up to the king. He stared at him with an impassive gaze. "It is good that you yet live, your Majesty." Yami attempted to look his way. "I shall take my leave. I should return to Sussex." He then gave a slight, respectful bow before he walked out of the throne room.

Yami could no longer hold himself up as he collapsed onto Mahad. His eyes fell shut once more.

* * *

 _Author's note:_

 _I hope you guys liked this chapter! Reviews are loved._


	3. Chapter 3

_The next chapter has arrived! I hope you all like it._

* * *

The next Yami awoke, he had been lying on an extravagant bed in his chamber. He blinked long and slow. One of the first things he noticed was his right eye was in much better condition. He sat up slowly as a blanket made of silk slipped down his slim frame to rest against his lap.

It had felt as if he had been sleeping for weeks. His mind felt foggy. Though, it was hard to forget his recent brush with death. Flashes of blood, lightning, screams and a dark pair of glowing violet eyes flitted through his mind's eye. And pain, an unbearable pain. Indeed, how could something so horrific be forgotten? Yami had not even realized he had begun to breathe harshly, nor did he notice the cold sweat that broke out over his temples.

He tried to calm himself down as he closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. There was another, more pressing, issue that he had to deal with. He remembered the sadistic eyes of Dartz. The moment when he had first realized his enemy had been the one to surprise _him_. His eyes slowly opened – fear replaced with something fierce.

He had been betrayed.

Of the four members of his council, a snake had been lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike. The only question now, was which one? And why? A dangerous game was being played with the highest of stakes. He took a moment to think about possible motivations for why any of them would want him gone.

Seto was a nobleman of a royal lineage. Son of an Earl that had been ruling Sussex since Solomon had been king. After Solomon's unexpected death, with no heir, his council had convened to choose the next king. Seto had been a candidate, but so had Yami himself. Yami's royal line ran deep. His own father had been the Earl of Wessex. When the choice had been made, it had all come down to who had more power, more influence. It had not been much later before Yami was crowned the next king.

He wondered if that could potentially be influencing Seto to want to see to his demise. Seto had always shown himself to be loyal, thus Yami had offered him a position on his council. Perhaps he simply wanted to be close.

Isis was a powerful woman. Not of English descent, she was originally from Normandy. Through her marriage to Solomon she became a queen consort of Normandy and England. Even after the king's death she remained in the political scene. She had proven herself capable countless times through her strategies and decisions. So influential and loved by the English people that Yami had no choice but to put her on his council.

Yami had no reason to suspect her before, but he had to wonder, where did her allegiance lie?

Shada was initially part of the council of King Solomon; one of the members to choose who the next successor would be. He had been the only one to be initially opposed to Yami's rise to power. It had the young king wondering, did he wish to have him gone?

Mahad had been the Earl of Mercia before Yami had placed him on his council. He was incredibly loyal to the idea of keeping the English throne English. He could not have been the one to betray him. However, Mahad was quite smitten with the servant girl of Yami's. Mana was her name. The young king had first found out about their secret love when he had walked in on them in the servants' quarters. He had immediately berated Mahad for it. Mahad was of royal blood. Mana a mere servant. Something like that could never be.

It had seemed like such a trivial thing. However, Yami had seen stronger men kill for much less. He had not wanted to be cruel, but such feelings of sympathy were not a luxury a king could possess.

All of these thoughts were quite taxing on his already drained mind. He would have to tread very carefully around the company he kept for the time being. For now, there were obligations he had to attend to. He knew he could not afford to lay idle in his bed any longer.

Yami made a move to turn in his bed, but a dull ache in his chest halted his progress. He lifted a hand to lay gently atop the affected area. Another breath in, and he pulled at the simple robes he had been dressed in to examine himself. Over his heart, an angry, red welt sat. He gingerly moved his hand to trace delicately over his injured skin with his fingertips. The action caused a stinging sensation. He nearly hissed out in pain. It felt like a burn.

"Well now, look at you." A sudden voice caused a sharp stab of panic to strike at Yami's heart. His head jolted upward to seek out the owner. Fear seized his feeble body and caused it to shiver as his eyes caught sight of a familiar form that stood a bit away from him. Menacing, playful, violet eyes glimmered with mischief as they ran over the king. "Quite the attractive one you are. Especially without all the entrails and grime."

Yami quickly rushed out from his bed and turned his back on the demon to take hold of a sword on a nearby rack. However, as soon as he spun back around, the dark being was right in front of him. A shocked gasp escaped his lips as his sword fell from his loosened grip. The demon took a moment to stare down at the weapon.

"Would not have done you much good anyway."

Yami staggered backwards on unsteady legs as his back hit the stone wall of his chamber. "S-stay away from me."

The demon chuckled darkly. "Aw, is that the thanks I get for saving your life?" When the dark being took a step forward, it had the king letting out a frightened whimper.

The demon took several more steps closer until Yami raised a hand in a gesture to stop the being as he yelled out, _"Halt!"_

It stopped when it was merely an arm's reach away. Yami watched the creature tilt its head. "Why should I?"

The only thing that ran through the king's mind were the words spoken to him on that dreadful day. _"Your soul will be mine. The next time you die, I will take it."_ Had the demon come to make good on that threat?

"Why are you here?" Yami had tried to sound brave, but the quaver in his voice belied the truth. The demon laughed at him.

"Because you are mine." The king withdrew his hand when it took another step closer, and Yami wanted to cower.

"You have come to kill me, haven't you?" Was this how it was to end? He had only just barely taken back his kingdom. Surely he could have had more time than that.

The demon raised its hand and moved it close to his face. He flinched horribly when he felt the back of a hand trail gently down his cheek. He then heard a playful giggle.

"You needn't fear me, little king. My touch can no longer harm you."

Yami took a shaky breath in, and opened his eyes. He watched the hand fall away from him. The demon continued to stand in front of him with an amused smirk on its face. He looked into those mesmerizing, violet eyes once more.

"If not to kill me, then what purpose do you have for being here?" The king had begun to breathe less erratically than before at hearing that the demon's touch could not hurt him. His pulse slowed down, but only minutely.

"I told you, you belong to me." The demon raised a hand to place over Yami's heart and splayed its fingers across his chest – a perfect match. Yami stared down at the hand whose touch felt like nothing more than a gentle cool that eased the ache. It was a strange sensation that left him feeling confused considering what he had come to know of demons. Were they not bloodthirsty creatures that sought only destruction? Why did this touch feel so benign?

"Do you not want my soul?" He could not stop his curiosity. Regardless of the fact that he should probably not probe the powerful being no more than he should poke a dragon with a stick and ask why it will not breathe fire. Thankfully, the demon only appeared to be amused by his question.

"Yes, that has not changed. Your soul will be mine."

"Then why not take it now?" He almost winced at his own words.

The demon let out a giggle. "Quite slow, aren't you? I guess they only made you king so they could stare at your pretty face." Yami grimaced at the snide remark. The demon just smirked. "We made a pact. I cannot kill you."

The young king stared down at his chest where the demon's hand lay. "I see." After a moment, he stared back up into those haunting eyes. "Why make a pact with me?" He watched the demon's head tilt.

"Why _not_ you? Like I told you before, I knew you would not refuse my offer. You did not exactly have much more to lose."

Yami thought on that. The demon had made it sound as if he needed consent to form a pact with a human. "Could you not have made a pact with anyone?"

The demon's smirk fell into a look of annoyance. "Technically, yes, but I must ask you, have you _tried_ conversing with a decapitated chicken? Quite the one-sided conversation. Considering you could not move or scream, I figured I would have better luck with you."

"That... makes sense." People did tend to panic at the sight of a demon. Yami then became thoughtful. "So, you need permission to make one of these... 'pacts?'"

"Well, yes. That is typically what a pact entails. Mutual consent."

Something was still confusing him, though. "But can you not simply touch someone to acquire their soul?" The demon giggled at his blatant ignorance.

"No. Had I touched you then, I would have simply killed you. Would have been a merciful death, honestly."

The king's eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you not?"

A wicked smile broke out over the demon's face. "I am not merciful."

Yami felt perturbed by that. "Why do you want my soul so badly? What do you gain from it?" The dark being merely smiled.

Yami stared at the soft features of the being's face. For something that was supposed to be evil, its face was so youthful and smooth – almost innocent. He then began to trail his eyes over the demon's mostly naked form. He then had a thought; one about when he had tried to touch the dark being before. He remembered his hand had went right through the creature. Carefully, he lifted his hand and reached out. However, this time, his hand met with a solid body. He was able to lay his palm flat against the chest of the demon in front of him. The creature let out a hum in response.

"Confused, are you?"

Yami ran his hand down the chest to the stomach. He was fascinated, and that feeling only increased when his hand went right through the demon's lower torso as if the creature had suddenly turned from a solid into a gas.

"What are you?" The question sounded silly to his own ears. This was a demon, he knew that, but still. What was a demon exactly? He had grown up hearing the tales and stories, but did those people truly know what a demon was? Or was it merely a fancy label to disguise the fact that they really knew nothing at all?

The demon seemed intrigued by his question. "I am a thought, a feeling, a memory. I am an echo in an empty room. A tune with no melody. A picture with no color. Lifeless." Yami glanced up at the violet eyes that turned solemn. Then the demon began to chuckle. "Do you truly wish to know what I am?"

Hesitantly, Yami nodded. "I am... curious."

"I have been called many things over the several hundreds of years I have wandered. The sin called lust, an incubus, a desire demon, ...a siren." The last one was said with disdain. "Though I suppose, none of those are too far removed from the truth. Even I hardly remember what I am. Who I was. It has been so very long." The demon raised his hand to touch Yami's face again. He flinched involuntarily, but did not feel anything. He opened his eyes to see fingers grazing over his skin, but no physical sensation to match. "So long since I knew what it was like to feel the warmth of another underneath my fingertips."

It was then that something suddenly clicked inside his mind. Like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. "You are dead... aren't you?" A crooked, wry smile pulled at the corners of the demon's lips. "You are... a ghost. A spirit." The dark being giggled in a creepy way.

"Maybe. At one point. Funny what hundreds, maybe even thousands of years of endless wandering can do to a soul. Unfeeling and alone. Left to watch the living age and die. A poignant reminder of the life I no longer have." A sense of sadness flooded over Yami at hearing that. What a cruel fate. The demon seemed to sense his feelings, for the creature laughed. "You needn't feel sad over me, mortal. I feel nothing."

Yami sighed and looked downward. Did this mean all demons were once human? It seemed likely. The king's eyes then caught sight of the demon's tail that flicked about playfully. It made him wonder. "If you were once human, then why is it you have that... devil's tail?"

The tail swished about more at being mentioned. "I appear to you as I perceive myself to be." The king stared back up into the demon's face in confusion. A lazy-eyed smirk was upon its face. "Think of it this way, when you dream, you can be anything. Yet you choose to be human. To be you. Why? Because that is all you know." The demon lazily flicked its tail once more. "I simply choose to have it. I guess I have always thought of myself as being... mischievous." It chuckled.

Yami considered this. It gave rise to the curiosity in him. He began to hesitantly ask, "Is... this what you looked like? Before you died?"

The demon shrugged. "Possibly. My appearance may have changed over the years. I cannot say for certain. I only know that this is what I have come to look like now."

Yami began to feel a little more at ease around this creature. At least it did not seem too malignant. It had answered all of his questions without violent outbursts or anything of that sort. The demon merely seemed truly humored by his curiosity. Then he thought perhaps he should learn its name.

"Do you have a name? What would you have yourself be called?" The violet eyes of the demon glimmered with mischief and wonder along with the amusement.

"You want to know my name? How quaint." The creature then chuckled. "You may call me Yugi."

"Is it..."

"What? My real name? It is a good a name as any. Whether or not it is my real name matters little."

Yami nodded. A name was better than calling it demon or creature.

Suddenly, there was a knock at his chamber door. The sound was startling as the king jumped. The door began to open. Yami then realized something; if someone was to see him conversing with a demon they would think him to be consorting with it. If that happened he could be in for a world of trouble. Yami began to panic. If that happened, he could be dethroned. Worse yet, exiled. Possibly even executed.

Before he could find his voice to shout out "Stop!", the door was opened, and one of his advisers stepped inside. Yami felt a cold sweat begin to form along his brow. His eyes widened in horror. Isis stood before him with a pleasant smile.

"Your majesty, it is good to see you up and well." The sound of Isis' voice served to only make him more anxious. He felt his heart sink. Isis stared at him quizzically when he turned his eyes away from her to train them on Yugi. The demon held a most devious smirk upon its pale face. "Your majesty? Are you all right?" She took a step forward and looked around him. "Why are you over by the weaponry? Did something mean to do you harm?"

The king blinked a few times in confusion before he looked back over to Isis who held a look of worry on her features.

"I... no..." He gave Yugi one last confused look before he stepped around him, but when his shoulder would have brushed up against a normal person's, it went right through the demon. As if Yugi was a mere illusion. "I was just... walking around. I figured it might help to alleviate my fatigue."

Isis seemed to accept this explanation, for she nodded. "I understand. The last few days have been hard on you. As much of an understatement as that is."

"Yes..." Yami spoke as he tried to fathom what was going on. It did not seem like Isis could see Yugi.

"As much as it bothers me to interrupt your resting there are matters that must be attended to."

Yami nodded. "O-of course." He still felt tense.

"Since your return, the neighboring kingdoms have grown silent and wary. Dartz in particular, we have not heard any word of. I speculate he is still rather shaken, and with the substantial loss of soldiers on his end I believe it safe to assume we will have a moment's reprieve from any potential attacks as far as the Duke is concerned."

Isis paused to allow Yami to take that in. She continued after he nodded.

"There is some unrest within our own kingdom concerning your apparent 'rising from the beyond.' The nobles are wary of you. Some think it witchcraft or some other magical intervention for the reason you are still among the living. I would suggest you hold a formal event and give a speech. Put some of their minds at ease."

Yami sighed at hearing that. He knew there would inevitably be some skeptical nobles who would jump at the opportunity to dethrone him.

Isis continued after a moment. "There has been mostly positive reception from the townsfolk, however. Some are accrediting your survival to the fabled, legendary, mythical warrior Timaeus. A legendary knight who supposedly vanquished a great evil centuries ago." She paused a moment. Her tone turned solemn. "We have suffered greatly from the battle, your majesty. To give a public speech to the people would greatly bolster moral. It would be in our best interest to perhaps play up on this rumor. If only to encourage them. Faith can be a powerful thing."

The king stood up straighter. "Indeed. Let us make preparations for these upcoming events then." Isis bowed politely at her king.

"As you wish. There is one other thing that requires your attention, your majesty."

"What is it?"

"There is a man being accused of defiling and then murdering a farmer's daughter. It has been an ongoing, controversial case that the shire court has not been able to reach a verdict for. If you were to absolve or place judgment on the accused, it could send a powerful message to the townsfolk and nobles alike of your competence and also of the potential consequences of treason or riots. Regardless of your heroics in the reclaiming of the English throne from Dartz, we did still lose the war. It is a fact that many could use against you in an attempt to prove you are not qualified for the position of king."

Yami raised a hand to stroke idly at his chin in thought. "I see. All right then. We shall hold this case here at the palace."

Isis curtly nodded. "It will be done. I shall see to the evening's proceedings and have the victim's family and the accused brought shortly." She then gave a respectful bow before she turned on her heel and headed out of the room.

Yami let out a tense breath that he felt like he had been holding since his adviser had first walked into the room. His heart started to slow down from its raised pace.

"How interesting. It sounds like you have your work cut out for you." The sudden voice startled Yami. He turned a vicious glare on the demon who spoke.

"Could she not see you?" The king asked in annoyance. The demon had a crooked grin upon its face.

"No. I can make myself visible or invisible to anyone I wish. I am a spirit after all." The demon said in too smug a manner for Yami's tastes. He almost let out a growl.

"And you did not tell me this before, because?"

Yugi shrugged. "You did not ask." It chuckled when Yami let out a vexed huff.

"I do not have time for your petty games. Now, if you will excuse me, I have this case I must resolve."

Yami watched the demon walk towards him. He nearly took a step back when the demon began to get too close with no sign of stopping. Before he could move out of the way, the dark being passed right through him. It sent a horrible, cold chill up his spine that raised the hair on his neck. He wrapped his arms around himself and let out a visible breath as if the temperature around him suddenly became unbearably cold.

The king spun around quickly just in time to see Yugi phase through the stone wall of his chamber with the parting words of, "Go ahead. I am not stopping you."

Yami let out a shaky breath. He continued to stare at the wall in which the demon had walked through. This was not how he imagined his reign as king would be. To be nearly killed off by the Duke of Normandy to then have his soul claimed by a demon. He only hoped he could handle it all – that he did not end up wishing he had died that fateful day instead.

* * *

 _Author's note:_

 _Thank you for all of the support so far. I hope this story won't be too predictable or anything. I'll try my best to make it as mysterious as possible!_


	4. Chapter 4

**_Warning! This chapter contains some dark themes._**

* * *

Yami walked through the halls of his castle with hurried steps. The case was to be heard shortly, and he did not want to linger in his chambers any longer than he had. Yugi's presence tainted his thoughts like a sickness, and it had caused him to sit idle in perplexed contemplation to the point he had nearly lost track of time. He still had so many questions about the demon, or spirit. What should he expect of the dark being? Was he to stay in his castle from now on until Yami was to meet his end? He did not know.

What he did not know worried him greatly, but he could not afford to let his fears get the better of him. Though, he could not shake the feeling of dread at not knowing where the demon was at this moment. Yami figured Yugi might still be somewhere in the castle. If the demon was still in the castle, what kind of havoc could it bring to him and his subjects? Especially considering there was nothing stopping Yugi from killing anyone else in the castle. That thought worried Yami more. The demon had never said that just because it could not kill Yami himself that it could not still kill others.

Yami bit anxiously at his lip as he sped up his pace. This case needed to be resolved quickly so he could search for the demon. However, there was a nagging thought at the back of his mind that reminded him that even if he was to find the creature, it did not guarantee it would listen to him. And then another thought occurred to him - what was stopping Yugi from revealing itself to anyone else and having him executed for their relations with one another? The demon had made it very clear that it only cared for Yami's soul, and it would be a convenient way.

There were so many uncertainties surrounding his current situation. It terrified him. He was about to turn around and attempt to find the demon, perhaps reason with it, when Isis caught his attention from where she was standing in front of the entrance-way to the great hall.

"Your Majesty, it is good that you have arrived. The accused and his victims are waiting inside. We only need you."

Yami took a minute to steel his nerves and take a breath. The demon would just have to wait. He could not allow the thought of it to corrupt his judgement. He then gave his adviser a curt nod before he straightened his shoulders and stepped inside. Yami walked in a dignified, graceful manner up to his throne when all eyes became fixated on him. The defendant was on his knees before the throne with a guard stationed by his side. Yami noted the man looked drained - tired beyond mere words. The victim's family was a little ways away looking mostly grim. Yami took a minute to assess them. The mother looked at a loss for words. The father looked somewhat antsy.

Isis walked up to stand beside him. She cleared her throat and looked towards a document in her hands. "This man is being accused of slander, rape and murder of the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Godwinson, Rebecca Godwinson. His name is Duke Devlin, son of the current Earl of Mercia."

Yami glanced over to Isis during her speech before he looked down on the one kneeling in front of him.

"What have you to say in your defense?" Yami asked of the one who had kept his stare downcast. The man looked up slowly with emerald-colored eyes full of sorrow.

"I... I did not do it, your Majesty."

"He lies!" Yami looked over to the source of the sudden, panicked voice. Mr. Godwinson spoke up with a sense of urgency. "He did it! He killed my daughter!"

Duke Devlin had also turned his attention to the man, but he did not speak out against the accusation. He merely stared with a dull look in his eyes.

Yami lifted a hand to his chin to rub at it idly with a thoughtful expression. "What proof is there of this crime?"

Isis spoke up to answer his question. "According to witnesses, Devlin was the last person seen with the girl before she was found dead. Incidentally, it was also Devlin who found her."

Yami's brow furrowed in confusion. "This sounds fairly straightforward. Why is it the shire court could not come to a decision?"

"Well, your Majesty, Duke Devlin is the son of the Earl of Mercia. Although his family has thus disowned and stripped him of the family name in response to these accusations against him, they are still looking for a fair and thorough trial in the case he may be innocent. There have been a few supporters, friends and other family members, who have vouched for his innocence since the trial began. They claim he was a man of true merit, and that he would never have done such a thing."

Yami nodded after Isis' explanation. "I see." He then turned back to look at the man in front of him. "What is your relation to the deceased?"

Devlin looked up to him. He spoke after a moment. "She was... my friend." Yami narrowed his eyes in suspicion of this answer.

"You are a grown man. She, a mere child. You do know how this looks against you, do you not?"

The man returned his gaze to the floor. "I do."

"Your Highness..." Yami looked over in the direction of a broken voice. Mrs. Godwinson looked at him with a worn out face marred by the tears she could no longer shed. "Please. I need... something. This has gone on way too long." She then pointed at the man knelt before him. "He was the last person seen with her. With my daughter. We all know this would not be so complicated if this man was anything less than nobility." She lowered her hand slowly to her side, and looked at Yami with a stare that went right through him. Her voice began to quaver. "My daughter was kind. She was sweet, and she did not deserve the fate brought upon her. She deserves to have someone answer for their crime against her. You did not see her, like I had to, when she was brought before me mangled and bruised. What kind of parent am I to have to bury my eight-year-old daughter? _Please._ "

Yami stared at her gravely, a deep frown etched onto his features. No parent should have to go through this. He looked down at the man. "What would you say to have me believe you are innocent?"

A sound escaped the man. It sounded defeated, saddened and hurt. He looked up at the king with barely suppressed rage. "Hear me. I would _never_ have harmed Rebecca. I cared for her like a little sister. It does not matter what you decide to do with me, your Majesty, but it does matter that you find the one who is truly responsible for this. She would never have come to harm with me. _I did not kill her._ " His eyes held a vindictive look within them. The sincerity and contempt in Duke Devlin's voice gave pause to Yami's previous line of thought concerning the man's guilt. The conviction in his tone of voice had him wondering.

"He is telling the truth, you know." The sudden, familiar, mischievous voice had the king nearly jumping out of his throne. He tried to calm his raging heart with a few breaths. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice. He moved only his eyes to see Yugi standing on the other side of him. The demon had a haughty smirk on his face. When Yami furrowed his brow ever so slightly in confusion, Yugi continued. "From what I am feeling from him, none of his emotions are indicative of murder. Sorrow, rage, anger, confusion, grief. That is what I am getting."

Yami looked around the room to see no one had been affected by Yugi's sudden presence. This had the king feeling relieved. Now, at the very least, the demon was in his sight. When he heard the demon chuckle beside him, he became curious. Yami remembered the demons words from when he lay in the dirt near dead. About how Yugi had felt how frightened he was. Now the spirit could apparently tell what Devlin was feeling. Could the demon truly feel the emotions of others? He had not thought to ask.

"You want to know something I find... _interesting?_ " Yami stared at the phantom in confusion. The smile on the demon's face turned positively devious. It pointed, and Yami followed the direction of the demon's outstretched hand until his eyes landed on the father of Rebecca Godwinson. "That man feels quite antsy. He also feels... anxious, conniving, ...smug. Not the kind of emotions one would expect a father to feel at the loss of his daughter, do you not agree?"

Something fell in the pit of Yami's stomach, like rotten, foul food that would not digest and made him nauseous. He let out a shaken breath of air. Could Yugi really be insinuating what he thought it was?

Yami looked to the man knelt down in front of him. "You said you were the one to find the girl." When the man nodded slowly, he continued, "Where was she found?"

"On the outskirts of her family's land. It was a little, secluded area with a view of the water. She took me there a few times. She said it was her special, favorite place. Why?"

Yami ignored his question. "Did she ever tell you why it was her favorite place?"

"She said it was a place her father liked to take her."

Yami felt ill. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth.

"Are you all right, your Majesty?" Isis spoke up from the other side of him. After a moment, Yami nodded.

"Why had you been there?" The king asked.

"I went there because I had not heard from her in a few days. I had asked her parents and they told me they did not know where she was, so I thought it would have been a good place to check."

"How many days?"

Devlin looked confused. "Pardon?"

"How many days had it been since you had last heard from her?" The king repeated.

"Uh, four, I believe. She would normally come and get me herself after even just one day of not speaking with me. I found it strange."

"Where were you exactly during these four days?"

"Uh... I was at my father's palace." The man still seemed confused by the onslaught of sudden questions.

"Can anyone attest to this claim?" The king asked undeterred by the man's confusion.

Devlin nodded slowly. "Well, yes. My cousins as well as many of my friends." The man then understood where the king was going with his questions. "Oh."

Yami turned his gaze to Isis. "How long ago was this incident?"

"It has been six weeks and four days since Rebecca Godwinson was found, your Majesty."

Yami then turned to the parents. He focused his gaze on the mother. "Mrs. Godwinson, when did you first notice your daughter went missing?"

Mrs. Godwinson looked flustered at having to remember details, and took a moment to think. "It was... uhm, perhaps after a day. I did not think anything of it at first. I thought she was merely with him." She gestured towards Duke Devlin.

"Am I correct in assuming then that it was after the next three days when you had first noticed your daughter was missing that Devlin showed up on your doorstep asking where she was?" Mrs. Godwinson hesitated at first when Yami asked her this question, then after a moment she nodded.

"She would never have been away for more than a day." She spoke solemnly.

Yami turned back to the man on the floor. "Then, as it stands, whoever killed your daughter did so within that one day, and it was not the man kneeling before me now."

The room became thick with tension. Isis turned her attention on her king to ask, "What thought process led you to such a specific conclusion?"

Yami turned to face his adviser. "For starters, I asked Devlin for his side first. Had I asked Mrs. Godwinson first, it would have been all too easy for Devlin to come up with a likely story to correspond with hers in the case that he was the one who killed Rebecca Godwinson. I knew Mrs. Godwinson would not lie about the specifics of her daughter's disappearance, because there is nothing else to gain from the conclusion of this case save for the retribution of the one who committed this crime. Duke Devlin has been disowned by his family for the slander upon their name. The Godwinsons will not receive any financial compensation for their loss because of this."

After a moment, Yami continued. "Also, six weeks and four days ago I had appointed this man's father as the new Earl of Mercia after Mahad had joined the council. If Duke was present, and has witnesses to prove this, then there is no way he would have been permitted to leave on such an important day."

Isis nodded before she spoke. "I see. But what of the other three days following the event? He could have sneaked out then, could he not?"

Yami appeared thoughtful. "Perhaps, but it would not have mattered, for the girl was already gone by then. Mrs. Godwinson herself said she noticed her daughter was missing that first day, and according to the girl's normal behavior, she would not have been away for more than one day, or would have contacted someone, Duke Devlin for instance. But neither Duke Devlin or Mrs. Godwinson had heard from her, so it seems something must have happened within that time frame."

"Perhaps you are _not_ just a pretty face." The demon's voice carried over from the king's right, and he tried to pretend the specter was not there.

"He could be lying about not hearing from the girl." Isis said with a thoughtful expression.

Yami looked back towards Duke Devlin with a scrutinizing gaze. The man looked pitiful. "It is a possibility. However, he would not have had anything to gain from lying about whether or not he had heard from her. He already has witnesses to confirm he was where he said he was during that one day."

Isis seemed to consider this for a moment. "An interesting assessment. Do you have any thoughts on who did commit the crime then?"

The king's eyes flitted over to the father before he returned them to Devlin. "I am getting to that." He then let out a sigh before he carried on. "Were there any other people that Rebecca was close to? Anyone else who knew of this favored spot of hers?"

Devlin furrowed his eyebrows in thought as he pondered the question. "Not that I know of. Rebecca was always kind of standoffish. She did not readily trust anyone."

Yami nodded, then looked over to Mrs. Godwinson. "Can you confirm this? Did your daughter have any other close friends?"

Mrs. Godwinson took a moment to think, then shook her head. "No, she did not. She was quite content with speaking of no one but this man." She gestured towards Duke Devlin.

That ill feeling began to creep back upon Yami. This was not something he readily wanted to do. Everything was pointing in the direction in which the demon had insinuated. How could someone do such a thing? Yami could hardly fathom it.

"...Mrs. Godwinson, did you know of this place that Devlin is speaking of? Did you know of it prior to when your daughter was found?" Yami asked as he raised a hand to rub at his temple.

Mrs. Godwinson shook her head. "No, I had not known about it."

And now it was time. "Then that leaves only one other suspect."

The tension in the throne room increased several fold, and Yami could hear the demon beside him shatter the eerie silence with a deviously dark chuckle. "Oh, how he is truly frightened now." Yugi said with evident mirth. "What will you decide to do with him? Have him hanged? Tortured? Decapitated?" Yami turned his head away from the demon in an attempt to ignore him. Unfortunately for him, the action only caused Yugi to move next to his ear. "Do not tell me you are going to have him exiled. How boring that would be."

Yami then spoke up. "Mr. Godwinson... where were _you_ on the day when your daughter went missing?"

Realization hit everyone in the room quite hard. All eyes then trained on the man who took on a panicked look. He stood stiffly in place, his head downcast, and his hands shook minutely from how tightly he clenched them.

"Edward?" Mrs. Godwinson asked from beside him when he had yet to speak. Her eyes held fear within them when Mr. Godwinson lifted his head slowly to meet her gaze. "Answer the question."

His eyes then returned to the floor. "I cannot."

"Why can you not?" Her voice trembled. "Edward... just answer the question."

Yami's heart felt squeezed and twisted in knots of pain and sadness for the poor woman whose life was crashing down around her. He doubted this was the "something" she truly wanted.

The man's lips turned upward into a crooked smile before they fell into a frown. "I was... at the house."

"Were you really, Mr. Godwinson?" Yami's voice was hard-pressed, yet commanding. "Or were you not at this 'favorite' place where you _raped_ and _murdered_ _your own_ _ **daughter**_?"

Mrs. Godwinson turned to the king so sharply that the action must have been painful. She stared at him with such shock and terror that Yami almost wished he had not said anything. But he was a king, and a king was not made by his leniency, or his kindness. Not even by how intelligent he was, or how strong. No, kings were made by their ability to make the difficult decisions no one else could, and being able to live with the consequences. This man was vile, and he deserved punishment; no matter who was hurt in the process.

"No..." Her voice sounded frail, and her head snapped back to her husband when the man started to laugh.

It had started off quiet, then evolved into something demented and maniacal. Yami watched in disgust.

"I loved her, Elaine. I loved our daughter."

Mrs. Godwinson fell to her knees and placed her hands over her ears. "No... no this cannot be happening."

Duke Devlin was beside himself with horror and shock. He had not even been able to utter a word.

Yami stood up and pointed to the man who would commit such an atrocity. "Have this man taken to the gallows. He shall be hanged for his crimes."

Two guards moved up behind the demented man and seized him by his arms. As they dragged him away, he called out to his wife. "It was an accident, Elaine! _I loved her_! **_I loved Rebecca!_** "

Yami sat back down on his throne and leaned his arms on his knees, his head hung low. This had been more mentally exhausting than he thought it would be.

"It appears this case is closed then. You did a job this day." Yami stared up at his adviser with a weary gaze when she spoke up beside him. Isis offered him a small, sympathetic smile. "I apologize. I do not mean to be crass. This did not exactly end how any of us expected. And you are still recovering from the battle. Perhaps you should rest for the day."

"Yes..." Was the only response Yami could really manage.

"...Your Majesty." The king looked up when he heard the voice of Duke Devlin. He looked stricken with grief, and he seemed at a loss. "Am I... free to go?" It had seemed as if he had wanted to say something else, but that was the only thing that had readily come to his mind.

Yami nodded slightly. "Yes, you have been absolved of your guilt. Go back to your family and reclaim what was wrongfully taken from you."

The king was surprised when he saw the man shake his head. "I do not know if that is what I truly want."

Yami's brow furrowed, and he tilted his head slightly. "What is it that you want then?"

"I do not know." The man's voice sounded impossibly saddened. Yami frowned. He knew this must not be easy for him. He could not imagine the kind of pain Mrs. Godwinson and Devlin were going through. The best he could do was offer his condolences. Though he doubted that either of them wanted to hear idle apologies and sympathies at this moment, or in the future for that matter.

"Then allow me to make that decision for you." Devlin looked up in slight confusion when the king spoke. "Join the ranks of my military. We could use all of the able bodies we can get."

Yami saw the man's eyes brighten, if only slightly, at being given a directive. Something to focus on. "All right. I can do that."

Yami nodded. "Good."

Devlin then looked over to Mrs. Godwinson who was slumped onto the floor in a broken mess of sobs and shivers. "But... may I have a moment's time? I do not want her to be alone."

The king also stared at the woman, and his expression faltered into one of pity. He gave another nod. "Of course. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you." Devlin then got up from his position on the ground, and walked over to the woman to kneel down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry onto his shoulder.

"Shall I arrange for them a guest room?" Isis asked of the king.

"Yes, I think that would be good."

"It shall be done."

Yami then let out a sigh. It would probably be best if he got some rest after such a day – taxing as it was. He then remembered the demon, and he looked over to his right, but Yugi was no longer there. Yami would have been alarmed by this, but at the moment, he deduced that Yugi probably would have already caused chaos if it had any intention of doing so. And the specter had helped him. He probably owed Yugi his thanks.

Yami stood up from his throne slowly. "I shall retire to my chamber now."

Isis gave a curt nod. "As you wish." She then walked away from him.

* * *

It did not take the king long to make it back to his chamber, and once he did, he had allowed himself to fall onto his bed with the heaviness of a rock falling through water. He very much could use the rest. Too many things were weighing down his heart and mind. He closed his eyes, and allowed the soothing feeling to wash over him. He wondered, as he lay there, if he should be concerned about the whereabouts of the demon. There were still so many questions he would like to ask the being. Why did Yugi choose to aid him? If the demon wanted his soul, will he try something soon? Should he be worried? Some of the tension in his body eased up in the embrace of the soft blankets beneath him, and he let out a sigh. He would just have to ask the demon his questions the next time they saw each other. For now, he would rather not worry about it.

Yami slowly opened his eyes, but once he did so, a sight caused a strike of panic to shoot through his chest. The king gasped sharply as what he had seen had been Yugi's face hovering just a few inches above his own.

"Bloody hell..." Yami muttered darkly as he raised a hand quickly to his chest to feel his heart beating rapidly. He watched the demon's eyes fall half closed, and its lips turn upward into a sultry smile.

"Aw, you looked so... _edible_ while you were lying there so peacefully. Did you enjoy your moment of tranquility?"

Yami suppressed the urge to glare, but he could not keep his contempt from tainting his tone. "I _was_. Then I made the mistake of opening my eyes."

The demon chuckled in a light, boyish way – playful even. "Poor thing. How unfortunate for you."

"Indeed." As Yami continued to lay there, the demon seemed content with its hovering, and the position was beginning to become uncomfortable for him. The demon did not seem to care at all about the social status hierarchy, that much was for sure. Yami being a king had little to no effect on the being's actions. "Do you mind?"

The demon's smile turned into a grin. "Not at all." Yami grunted in something akin to irritation, but he supposed he could use this time to inquire about some things. "You know," The demon's voice broke the king out of his contemplation. He stared into the spirit's eyes as it spoke. When it leaned in closer to him, Yami tensed up. "If I lean in just a little closer... I could kiss those lips of yours right now."

A faint blush dusted across the pale skin of Yami's cheeks, and his lips parted slightly – eyes widened in surprise. The demon's expression was seductive, and it seemed to take the king's reaction quite the wrong way as it started to move in closer.

Yami panicked, and let out quite the undignified - and most unmanly for that matter - sound as he forced himself to slide off his bed. He fell right on his rear onto the floor with a thud.

Yugi let out a boisterous laugh. Yami's face flushed hotter at the sound, and his brows furrowed in indignation as a pout formed on his lips. To say he was embarrassed by his own reaction would have been quite the understatement.

The demon's laugh quieted down to chuckles. "You are so amusing."

"The sentiment is not mutually felt." He sounded like a petulant child that had not gotten his way.

The chuckles turned into a series of giggles followed by, "I can live with that."

Yami quickly stood up from the floor, and crossed his arms. "Why have you not caused any trouble yet?" He knew he should probably not question it, but at the moment he wanted the focus off of what had just transpired.

Yugi leaned back into a sitting position on his bed. "In due time. What is the rush? I find I do not mind having to wait for my prize."

Yami's arms tightened around his chest defensively. He felt it would be in his best interest not to get snappish with the demon who held his life in its hands, but he was frustrated. Why? There was too much to deal with, and this bloody spirit was toying with him. "What do you want my soul for? You never told me why. What is it with you? Are you lonely? A pretty, gold coin can take you pretty far with a whore in a brothel in town. Would you like me to have someone escort you there?"

Something flashed in those violet eyes of the phantom's. Something unholy and dark. It moved its head down to shield its face. The following chuckle was humorless and deep, and when Yami heard it fall from the demon's lips – watched as it shook the lithe, tiny body that belied how dangerous the being was – he knew he had crossed a line. Fear raised the hair on the back of the king's neck as the demon lifted its head. Within those eyes, a maniacal gleam shone.

" _ **Foolish, little king**_." Yami trembled slightly. The dual, dark undertone was back and had replaced the mischievous, almost innocent voice Yami realized he had grown too accustomed to. It made the demon's voice sound all the more evil. Yugi's expression then died back down into a more sedated, sultry look. "You want to know my true intentions?" Yami found himself thrown off by the sudden switch in demeanor, and he nodded uneasily and unsure. The demon moved off of the bed, and with slow steps it got closer to him. He resisted the urge to step back. "I want to feel _**alive**_."

Yami was confused by the statement. "What?"

"There is only one thing that I want that will allow me to feel again." The demon lifted its hand and placed it along Yami's cheek. The king flinched slightly at the action. "To feel the warmth of another's skin. To remember what it was like to feel anything at all."

The young king raised a hand to grasp at his chest when he began to feel pain there. The mark over his heart had started to burn his skin. He took in a shaky breath. A realization began to dawn on him. "My... soul. It will allow you to... to feel whole again. That is why it is so important to you."

"Ah, now you are starting to catch on."

Yami panted. His chest felt constricted. "I suppose... you have taken other souls then."

"On occasion. When I take a soul, for a brief moment, I remember what it was like to feel truly _alive_. Until eventually, I forget. And thus, the cycle continues. I imagine your soul will make the moment last far longer than any of the others I have taken in the past." The demon licked its lips, and backed away from Yami. The king was having a hard time finding a breath. He wheezed and coughed as he nearly doubled over. "Rest assured, my little king, the only reason I have not made an attempt to find a means to kill you yet is because you amuse me." Yami stared up at the phantom warily as it grinned wryly. "The moment that ceases to be true is the moment you will come to dread. I advise you not to try and hurry that along."

Yami struggled for air, and fell to his knees. "What are you doing to me?"

The demon merely chuckled. "Nothing. I told you. I cannot kill you, but I can make your existence quite unpleasant. Do not forget that I am the one who brought you back from the brink of death. You will do well not to test me." It was then that the specter began to fade before Yami's eyes. He watched in mixed feelings of horror and fascination as the fading started from its feet, and moved up the small body slowly. He saw the demon's eyes dilate, as they widened and took on a homicidal, crazed look. "I _will_ have your soul. Do not worry yourself with that. I cannot wait to see your pretty face when I _**take it from you**_."

With those parting words, the demon vanished completely – leaving behind a maniacal laugh that echoed throughout the room. Yami bent forward, and nearly heaved. There was only one thing that was running through his mind.

 _What have I done?_

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _I hope you liked this chapter! I apologize if it was a bit dark, but I wanted to kind of keep it with the dark theme the story already has, and also of the times. Crimes were bad, and punishment was worse._

 _Please leave me a review! I know a lot of people might not be approving of those who ask for reviews, but as this story has actually taken quite a bit of my time as far as research and writing goes, it pleases me greatly to read feedback. If you like it so far, tell me about it! It encourages me to attempt to write more quickly._


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